How are organic farms USDA certified?

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With organic products gaining momentum in the food market, it becomes important for a farmer or a business to be certified organic and the best way to authenticate this is by getting a USDA organic certification. Obtaining this certification makes your business more genuine and becomes easier for you to establish the identity of your product as a truly organic product in the market. The tag of USDA organic Certification assures the costumers that your products have been checked on the stringent parameters of the USDA organic certification. Organic farming is not new to mankind and is the most primitive way of producing agricultural yields. In order to produce large amount of crops on smaller farms, farmers started using insecticides and pesticides containing hazardous chemicals. The  side effects of these harmful chemicals have made us ‘go back to natural way of farming’ which is the organic farming. The USDA organic certification is issued by regulating wild crop harvesting, handling of agricultural products and standards of farming procedures on the farm.

What does the label Organic mean?

According to the USDA, "Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used". In the days before fertilizers and pesticides were created nor technology advances were not yet made, all teh farmers were organic farms. But with industrial growth and scientific knowhow increasing, farmers wanted to more yield and less hassle with diseases and this was satisfied by the fertilizers and pesticides and we all were happy. But after a while the long term side effects of these technologically advanced practices started to surface and people (though not all) have realized that the older way was a better way to grow and eat food as it is more sustainable and health friendly. Not that we have to go back to the olden ways of farming but basically not use chemicals and the prohibited list of substances and recycle to make the land and food more healtheir.

What does the USDA check for to certify a farm or product as Organic?

This certification started in the year 2002 as a National Organic program to unify all the state and third party certifying agents so as to make it easier for the consumer. The rules keep getting added according to the changes in processing. 

• The USDA has made this certification mandatory for all operations with organic sales over $5,000.
• The organic farming operation include,  following a national organic standard.
• The farmer pr producer must keep a record of the practices and materials used in the process of prodcution. 
• Get an annual inspection done.
• At least a 3-year transition period is required for the land used to be certified as organic production unless there are  records tha thave been maintained to show that no prohibited substances were used in and around the farm in the previous 3 years.
• If any susbstances were used, their record has to be shown
• Practices which are inplace to prevent comingling of organic and non organic products
• No contact should be made with the prohibited substances

What are the eligibility criteria for USDA Organic Certification?

Usually an organic certification agent helps a farmer in obtaining USDA organic certification. This agent is accredited by the NOP or National Organic Program. The right agent helps you by planning all the process, inspecting the product and making it possible to get the license of Organic for product selling. So as to become eligible for USDA Organic Certification you should belong to either of the following category:

If you are :

• Live stock or organic crops commercial producer (commercial farming)
• Feed, fibers, textiles, or organic foods processor
• Broker, wholesaler, distributor, packer of organic products (handler)
• Restaurateur selling organic fare
• Specialized organic food or product retailer
• Organic product marketer
• Developer or brand owner of organic products

What are the advantages of gaining USDA Organic Certification?

Organic farming  majorly relies upon ecological practices such as biological and cultural pest management antibiotics, crop hormones, production of live stock and carrying out all the products without using synthetic chemicals. The major advantages of USDA organic certification are:

• Organic farming lowers cost of input
• Decreases dependability on non renewable resources
• Help in getting premium price to the organic produce
• Help in capturing high value markets
• Increases farming income

What can disqualify you from getting USDA Organic Certification?

There are certain qualification parameters that can stop you from getting USDA organic certification:

• Meeting the requirement of National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances is mandatory. This list is made by the Secretary of Agriculture and includes non-synthetic and synthetic substances that are part of your organic production and handling.
• The process of certification requires you to fulfill all the mandatory requirements in the list years in advance. According to the National Organic Program, only that product can be certified as organic which has been grown on the field where no harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilizers have been used from past three years.
• The certification considers not only the product but the entire process of operation

What is the cost of USDA Organic Certification?

Basically the fee of USDA organic certification depends upon the organic certification agent. For the first time when the National Organic Program was launched initially, the USDA organic certification cost for single farming was around $ 750. Nowadays the fee of the agent is added to it and varies depending upon the quality of agent’s services and expertise. Hence it is always advisable to compare the prices and services of different agents before finally settling for one.

 

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